Machinery for spinning flax and hemp



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

MILTON D. WI-IIPPLE, 0F CHARLESTOIVN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ALFREDB. ELY,

OF NEIVTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINERY FOR SPINNING FLAX ANDy HEMI?.

Specicaton of Letters Patent No. 18,529, dated October 27, 1857.

To all 'whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, MILTON D. IVHIPPLE, of Charlestown, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Machinery for Spinning and for Laying Up Hemp andSimilar F ibrous Material; and I hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a view of an improved machine for spinning hemp, flax, &c.,the apparatus for laying up the spun thread being shown with it as thesame drawing motion is applied to both. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalvertical section through the same on the line a of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section on the line y y of Fig. 2. Figs. t and 5details to be referred to.

The object of my present invention is to obtain a machine by which I canspin hemp, flax, and similar fibrous material directly from the hanlwithout the necessity of lirst forming it into a sliver, thus doing awaywith the drawing rolls and much of the expensive part of the operationof spinning, and substituting therefor a drawing movement that moreclosely resembles that of hand spinning, and which allows the twistgiven by the spindle to follow up close to the hank from which thefibers are drawn. As this same drawing principle is applicable to layingup the spun thread or forming rope I have shown the manner in which itmay be applied to such purpose, as well as an improved method of layingup such strands by rolling them together between two disks as the twistis laid in and thus compensating for any difference in the thickness ofthe strands.

In the drawings A. is the frame of the machine on top of which issecured in suitable bearings the shaft B to which power is appliedthrough the pulley C on one end of it. A belt a. from another pulley atthe other end of the shaft gives motion through a pulley L (Fig. 2) to ashaft D, which carries a long drum E from which belts communicate motionto the spindles F and G. and to other parts of the machine as will beexplained. A pulley H on the shaft D and belt b gives motion to thepulley I, on the cam shaft K, which has its bearings at the two sides ofthe frame A, and extends across the machine. The belt c over a smallerpulley attached to the inner face of the pulley I gives motion to thepulley M that is carried on a short shaft having its bearing on the toppiece of the frame A.

Attached to the outer face of the pulley M, is an eccentric cam N, whichoperates a lever O, pivoted at one end on the shaft P; this shaft issupported in bearings on two of the uprights or legs of the frame A, andextends across from one side to the other of the frame. The lever C isheld in contact with the cam N by a spring cl, and has pivoted to itnear the middle of its length a pawl c, that operates a ratchet wheel Q,secured to the shaft P. A retaining pawl f for this wheel is pivoted tothe side of the frame A. The shaft P carries two heart shaped cams It,(one of which is seen in Fig. 2.) These cams operate two levers S,pivoted at g, to the inside of the longitudinal ties of the frame A.Through these levers is operated a gate T, sliding up and down in theframe A. Stirrups L, attached to the gate T, embrace the spindles F andG, and as the levers S, are vibrated the spools on these spindles areraised and lowered to regulate the winding on. The cams It performanother office which will now be explained.

A box V, for the reception of the hank is formed of a middle partition lto which is hinged on either side two sides or flaps 2 which aresupplied with teeth z' (see Fig. l). These side iaps are opened and thehank is laid longitudinally over the partition l, with the bightprojecting from the front of the box. The flaps 2, are then closed downover it, and the box is placed in a trough V, into which the box fits.This trough is attached at its rear end by a single screw h5, passingthrough the bottom of it to a bar W, that extends across the rear end ofthe machine and is pivoted at each end to the frame A. This trough alsorests near the middle of its length on a short standard 7c, attached toa bar X, the two ends of which slide up and down in grooves in the innersides of the frame A. This bar rests on the two cams R and as they arerevolved the trough V, is

vibrated vertically a short distance, the bar 7, swinging on its pivots;the trough Vnis also caused to vibrate horizontally on its pivot h5 inthe following manner. A bar Y, (Figs. 2 and 3) extends across themachine and is allowed to .play longitudinally through slots in thesides of the frame A. One end extends through the frame and is held incontact with a cam Z, on the inner face of the pulley M, by a spring m,attached to the rod and to the inside of the frame A. A rod n rises fromthe rod Y up attached to the frame and to the upper part of the block B.These cams are so arranged that as the shaft K, revolves, the bars A, Balternately approach to and recede from each other.

The bar A is furnished with two pairs of nippers, one pair marked 5,near one end of the spinning apparatus and one pair marked 6 near theother end for the laying up apparatus. They are formed of a stationaryjaw t, fixed firmly to the bar, and a movable jaw u pivoted to the bar,the movable jaws of each pair being connected together by a rod o sothat the vibration of one shall move the other. A block a on one ofthese movable jaws is held in contact with the side of the cam 3, by aspring w attached to the other aw u and to the side of the frame. Thecam 3 is cut away on its side to the proper form (as seen dotted in Fig.Thus these nippers are opened and shut by the revolution of the shaft K.A similar pair marked 7 is attached to the bar B for the laying upapparatus, and a pair of draw nippers of a different construction marked8 are attached to the other end of this bar for the spinning apparatus.This latter pair is j formed of two bent arms c d (Figs. 1 and 5,)pivoted together at e3, to the back of the bar B. The arm d is furnishedwith a sheet metal jaw e which shuts into a double sheet metal jaw fattached to the arm c. The edge of each of these jaws is notched,forming when they are together a loZenge shaped hole which is enlargedand contracted by the vibration of the arms c, d; this vibration iseffected by the shaft K, in the following manner: A lever E is pivotedat g to the back of the bar B. A small block h attached to the lower endof this lever is held in contact with the side of a cam g, on the shaftK, by a spring L* attached to the upper end of this lever and to the barB. A flat rod z" connects the upper end of the lever E, to the lowerbranch of the arm c and a flat rod c, with a slot at Z connects theother end of the same lever to the lower branch of the arm d. A spring mis attached to the rod 7c and to the lever E. This method of connectingthe lever E, to the arm d allows the bite of the jaws e-f to accommodateitself to the varying quantity of fiber drawn through them. A rod n isattached to the arm c and to the movable jaw of nipper 7 which is thusvibrated with the arm c. Thus as the shaft K is revolved the blocks A,B, are vibrated toward and from each lother and the two pairs of nippersattached to one bar are opened and shut in alternation with the twopairs on the other bar.

To insure the drawing out from the hank of a sufficient quantity offiber to make the yarn being spun uniform, I have adopted the followingdevice: A stout 'bar F, extends across the machine and is pivoted at 0to the inner side of the frame A. To this bar at one end is attached anarm Gr', which is formed in two parts hinged together at r, near themiddle of its length. The other end of this arm is attached to a bar H(Fig. 3) which is pivoted at one end to the frame A and at the other toa standard I rising from the middle cross brace of the frame. The arm Gis held by a spring K in contact with a cam l0, on the shaft K, by therevolution of which the elbow at r is depressed and the two bars F, andH, are Vibrated. From the bar H', rise two standards p which carry attheir upper ends a shaft 1 7 having secured to its outer end beyond oneof the standards a pulley s to which is attached a cord t, which passesover the pulley and is attached at its other end to the part 3 of atreadle L seen enlarged in Fig. t, which is attached to the bar F. Thistreadle is formed of three parts, No. 1 being rigid, and vibrating withthe bar F. No. 3, is pivoted at u to No. l, and has attached at itsouter end the cord t. No. 2, lies between l, and 3 and is pivoted to No.l, and when in the position shown in the drawings wedges them apart sothat the outer end of No. 3 will not be caught by the projecting lip v,of a block w attached to the outer end of No. l, but when No. 2, israised by a rod m in a manner which will be explained the parts No. l,and No. 3 spring together and No. 3, is caught under the block fw and itis vibrated with No. l, by the bar F thus drawing down the cord 25 andcausing the shaft g to revolve a portion of a circle in the direction ofthe arrow Fig. 2. An elastic belt y (Fig. 3,) attached to the shaft andto the bar H', turns the shaft back again when the cord t, is slackedup.

The shaft g carries a metallic disk z with a single hooked notch ortooth in its periphery, which whenever this shaft is revolved by thecord t is thrown up into contact with the fibers being drawn from thehank, and as the block H is vibrated as before explained, the hook inthe disk z draws out more of the fibers from the hank and increases thequantity being drawn out by the draw nippers 8. That this may only occurwhen the nippers 8 are not drawing out sufliciently fast, the followingdevice is used for regulating this part of the operation: A lever a2 ispivoted to the top of the arm CZ of the nippers 8. To the outer end ofthis lever is pivoted the rod the other end of'which is pivoted to thepart 2 of the treadle L. To the top of the arm c of these nippers isattached a set screw b2 the end of which projects a short distancetoward the arm (Z. The lever a2 is allowed to vibrate freely and thepart N o. 2 is carried with the treadle L, but whenever the amount offiber passing through between the jaws f and e of the nippers 8 becomesreduced below what is required, it allows the jaws to come closertogether and the short end of the lever a2 is caught under the end ofthe screw b2 and the lever is prevented from vibrating, and the wedgeNo. 2 of the treadle L is held up by the rod w and the parts llo. l andNo. 3 are allowed to spring together, when No. 3 is caught under theblock w and is vibrated with the part No.1 by the bar F. This draws downthe cord t and revolves the shaft g as before explained and the hook onthe disk e is thrown up among the fibers and this motion of the disk inconnection with the vibration of the bar H draws out some more of thefibers from the hank and increases the quantity grasped between the jawsof the nippers S, which prevents them from coming so close together asto let the end of the lever a2 catch under the set screw b2 when thewedge No. 2 of the treadle L drops into the position shown in Fig. 4,and the part No. 3 is held off so that it does not catch under the blockw and the treadle L vibrates without drawing down the part No. 3, whichis left free to vibrate on its pivot u. The shaft Q is now revolved apart of a turn in the opposite direction by the retraction of theelastic band y and the hook of the disk e is thrown down (as in Fig. 2)out of the way of the fibers and although the bar H continues to bevibrated as before the fibers are only drawn out by the action of thenippers 8.

The laying` up part of my improved machine will now be described.

The spools l, 2, 3, containing the spun yarn are secured to the headsA2, B2, C2, which are carried on a standard D2 rising from the end ofthe frame A and are revolved all in one direction by a band Z2 leadingover the drum E. The ends of these yarns are lead through a hole in ametal plate or guide @2 (Figs. 2 and 3) which keeps them in contact witheach other, thence between two metalic disks f2--z2, thence between thedraw nippers 7 and 6, thence over a guide pulley O on the shaft B, tothe spindle G, where the laid up cord or rope is wound up on a spool onthis spindle. The

' nippers 7 and 6 are opened and shut and vibrated to and from eachother by the revolution of the shaft K, as before explained. The disksf2, z2, are carried' on the ends of two short shafts h2 2 which aresupported on standards Z2 rising from a block P which is attached at oneend to the side of the frame A and is supported at the other end by theupright I. These shafts h2, 2, are revolved in opposite directions bybands leading over pulleys on these shafts and over a drum Q which isdriven by a band m2 leading over the drum E. The shaft h2 is allowed toplay longitudinally in its bearings in the standards Z2 and the disk f2is pressed toward the disk .e2 by a spring n2 secured to one of thestandards Z2. Thus these disks accommodate themselves to any variationin the thickness of the cord or rope being laid up at the same time thattheir surfaces revolving in opposite directions in contact with the cordas the twist is laid in, compensates in a measure for the difference ofthickness of the yarns or strands and prevents the larger strand fromwinding around the smaller ones, as it is apt to do when laid up in thecustomary manner.

That the twist given to the yarn or cord by the spindles F and G maypass over the guide pulleys R, O, on the shaft B, and run up toward thenippers, each of these pulleys is furnished with one or more inclinedwires or staples 3 which are secured in the groove of the pulley and liediagonally across it. As the pulley revolves, these inclined staples orteeth act upon the twist and pass it over the pulley, and the pulleydoes not stop the twist as it would do if the staples 3 were not placedin the groove. Instead of these staples a diagonal notch or groove maybe cut across the groove of the pulley. This will have a similar effectin passing the twist over the pulley.

Operation: The hank of hemp, flax, or other fibrous material to be spun,is placed in the box U, as before described, and the fibers are drawnfrom the bight or middle of it over the disk z through between the jawsof the nippers 8, then through between the jaws of the nippers 5, thenceover the guide pulley R on the shaft B, to the spindle F, which isrevolved as before explained. By this spindle the twist is given to thethread, and by the vibration of the blocks A B and the opening andclosing of the nippers 5 and 8 the bers are drawn out from the hank andthe twist is allowed to run up close to the hank, as it could not do ifdraw rolls were used instead of these draw nippers. l thus avoid thenecessity of forming the fibers into a sliver by means of extramachinery before it is spun. The operation of the hook on the disk e asexplained keeps the amount of fibers drawn out by the nippers 8,uniform. The spun yarn thus formed is taken from the spindle F to thelaying up apparatus, the spools being attached to the revolving headsA2, B2, G2, from which the threads are led through the guide e2, betweenthe disks f2 z2, through the nippers 7 and 6, over the guide pulley O tothe spindle Gr, by which the twist is laid in and the finished cord orrope is wound up. The draw nippers 7 and 6 are opened alternately andallow the twist of the cord to run up to the guide e2 of the disks f2g2, rolling in the twist as before explained and compelling the variousstrands to place themselves in a uniform position around the centralaxis of the cord or rope, which will enable me to produce a smoother andstronger article than has heretofore been possible where the strandswere allowed to adjust themselves around the axis of the article beinglaid up, when a variation in the thickness of either strand would causean irregularity in the twist and consequently in the strain brought uponthe different strands when traction was applied longitudinally to therope.

forth whereby the twist is allowed to run up.

3. claim the vibrating hank holder U constructed and operatingsubstantially as described.

4. I claim the inclined wires or teeth on the guide pulley O R operatingin the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

MILTON D. l/VHIPPLE.

Witnesses:

THos. R. RoAoH, P. E. TESOHEMACHER.

